The Toronto Maple Leafs do not need a goalie controversy, at the least not on the primary beginning place. It’s Anthony Stolarz.
Stolarz signed a two-year contract for $5 million – a $2.5 million wage cap hit – with the Maple Leafs within the offseason. He was presupposed to be the backup to Joseph Woll, who signed a three-year, $10.98 million deal – $3.66 million wage cap hit.
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Nevertheless, Woll’s harm issues, an issue final season, crept up once more to start out the 2024-25 season. Bear in mind, final 12 months, Woll didn’t play Recreation 7 in opposition to the Boston Bruins in Spherical 1 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Ilya Samsonov, now with the Vegas Golden Knights, began the sport.
Woll was presupposed to be prepared for opening night time in opposition to the Montreal Canadiens however was not; thus, Anthony Stolarz grew to become the starter. He’s taking part in effectively for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
For a few years, the Maple Leafs struggled with goaltending and protection. That has modified in recent times. Up to now this season with Stolarz, the place appears solidified.
Everybody needs to speak about what Stolarz did with the Florida Panthers final season when he was the backup to Sergei Bobrovsky successful a Stanley Cup. Stolarz had 2.03 objectives in opposition to common and a .925 save proportion. These have been among the many finest for NHL goalies, as he performed in 27 video games.
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These numbers shouldn’t shock those that have adopted Stolarz since his days with the Philadelphia Flyers. Stolarz put up strong numbers as a backup goalie, particularly in his first season, recording a 2.07 GAA and a .928 save proportion.
There have been many within the Philadelphia space clamouring for Stolarz to play extra. He couldn’t get in with Michael Neuvirth, Brian Elliott, and Carter Hart within the system. So, there have been indicators that Stolarz might be this good.
He didn’t play a lot over the subsequent couple of seasons, particularly with the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Geese. Once more, when he did man the web, his numbers have been stellar.
Nevertheless, in his third season in Anaheim, the variety of video games he performed began to rise, as he recorded a 2.67 GAA and a .917 save proportion. Whereas his final season in Anaheim dipped beneath a .900 save proportion, the Geese have been a nasty group, and he saved them in lots of video games.
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Anthony Stolarz has a report of 3-2, a 1.83 GAA, and a .938 save proportion in a small pattern measurement with the Maple Leafs. Within the sport in opposition to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday night time, with the Maple Leafs up 5-1, Stolarz stopped the Lightning within the second interval, making a number of saves within the “excessive hazard zone.”
In response to MoneyPuck, Stolarz continues to be among the finest goalies within the NHL to this point this season. His superior stats proceed to again up his play from final season when he was with the Panthers.
The Jackson, New Jersey native and second-round decide (forty fifth general) from the 2012 NHL Draft took time to search out his sport within the NHL, however he discovered from among the finest goalies within the NHL and gained. He’s a confirmed winner and is bringing stability to the place the Maple Leafs didn’t have earlier than.
The Maple Leafs trust in Anthony Stolarz, which is why he’s the beginning goaltender, though Joseph Woll is able to return from harm.
